


Bet if you know you'll win

by Lavende



Series: The Foxhole Club [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Burlesque Club, And Stilettos, Comedy, Established Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Fluff, Jean and Neil are childhood best friends ok, Kevin is also a childhood friend, M/M, Neil has pretty legs, Neil is a show boy, Thanks, They all work at a club, We just wanted cute Jean and Neil friends, and pretty clothes, kind of, my gf gave me the prompt, these tags are a mess, this last part is important for the story ok, while having Andrew and Neil together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23796313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavende/pseuds/Lavende
Summary: Neil is at his fourth drink and Andrew has made him sit on a stool to help him out of his stilettos when there is a knock at the front door. Quickly, Dan is up on her feet to welcome the other manager and Jean inside.Andrew has exactly two seconds to move from the way as Neil gets up on his feet and embarrassingly yells, “Jean!”(Basically, The Foxhole is a club and they have their yearly employee party. Neil is a performer, Jean, his childhood best friend who works at the joint bar, and Andrew, the bartender.)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: The Foxhole Club [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714435
Comments: 17
Kudos: 342





	Bet if you know you'll win

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Tbh, this was inspired by this post by [requiemofkings](https://requiemofkings.tumblr.com/post/180679642870/if-u-dont-think-im-going-to-draw-neil-in-ezra) because the art is amazing and I'm obsessed with Neil like that. 
> 
> Also, special mention to this fic [wind me tighter than a wire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14104344), by [ephemeralsky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeralsky/pseuds/ephemeralsky) which also made me more obsessed about show boy Neil even if the AU is different from mine. This is just so good.
> 
> I hope you like it, because I had a blast writing it haha. My gf gave me the prompt and I just couldn't not do it.

They have closed the Foxhole earlier tonight to be able to have their yearly employee party at a decent hour (which means, for them, at around midnight). Andrew has cleaned up the bar, leaving it in a pristine state in preparation for the rest of the night. He knows he’ll probably spend most of the party behind it to serve his colleagues drinks, but it doesn’t bother him as it will give him an excuse to keep himself, to stay at a distance from it all. 

He leans against the counter, not having anything else to busy himself with until everyone gets here. Matt, Kevin and Renee are moving the usually separated, round tables together so they can all sit together and Abby, the club’s cook, brings out tons of food from their kitchen. Andrew reaches for a cupcake when she walks by him, letting him take one, but when Matt tries the same, she bats his hand away with a small, “Later boy!”

The bartender sits on the stool he keeps behind the bar and unwraps his snack, undoing it in small bites to eat. It’s atrociously sugary in the exact way he loves it. Neil will probably gag at the cupcakes. 

As if Neil heard his thoughts, the door from the changing room opens, revealing the show boy. He’s still wearing a part of his performance outfit, a pair of tight leather shorts, a pair of fishnets with tiny diamonds sewed into them, and his orange stilettos. Andrew can’t tell if Neil is still wearing the top part under the black hoodie he threw on, which he’s pretty sure he’s the owner of. His face is bare of makeup and his hair, a bit wet and messy, probably in an attempt to remove some of the hair styling products. 

To be honest, this is one of Andrew’s favorite looks on Neil. It’s half his persona on stage and half the way he’s around him.

His eyes meet Andrew and he smiles sheepishly, but it disappears in a heartbeat. It’s the type of smile that you might miss if you blink. Confidently, in the demons Neil calls shoes, the ginger head walks to him behind the bar and shamelessly finds a seat on one of Andrew’s thighs. The latter automatically wraps his left arm around Neil’s waist to steady him, and leans down to the tiny fridge under the counter to grab a water bottle for the other. 

His thanks is in the form of a kiss on his cheek, and Neil doesn’t need convincing to down half of the bottle. “Why didn’t you change?” Andrew finally asks as the others join them, picking up places at the tables. The performers tonight, Dan, Allison and Nicky, have all changed back into more casual clothing, Allison with fresh makeup on and Nicky still with his stage makeup on.

“I dropped my coffee on my pants earlier, they are still drying,” Neil answers and huffs, putting back the cap on his bottle. 

Andrew nods, not really surprised. For someone so talented on stage, the show boy seriously is a catastrophe off of it. He eyes Neil’s legs and the bright high heels. “Why did you keep these on?”

At that, his boyfriend smirks and leans forward to his ear. “Because you like it, obviously.” And it’s not like Andrew can really argue with that, because they give Neil long and lean legs. The type of legs only a dancer or a runner can have, and Neil is both. 

“You wish,” he says finally, but he still lets his free hand rest on Neil’s left thigh, right where the shorts end. And the other laughs clear and loud at that, in a way Andrew takes pride in, knowing no one else gets this out of Neil. 

Wymack, the owner of the place, finally gets out of his office, turning off the lights behind him. “Our joint club’s manager will join us,” he announces to everyone, earning some happy whistles at the news. Jeremy Knox is quite popular among them, always bright and energetic. Then, Abby automatically requisitions their boss’s attention, pushing him in the kitchen to help. 

“Oh, this probably means Jean will come too,” Renee supplies, walking to the bar with a knowing smile. She starts pouring some shots for the group and mixing colorful drinks, giving a break to his friend for now. 

It only takes a second for Neil to start squirming on his thigh, and Andrew raises back his eyes to him. Jean is Neil’s old childhood best friend. They spent most of their school years together, joint at the hip. Kevin always complains that hanging out with them felt like being a third wheel when they were younger, yet nothing romantic has ever happened between the two.

Neil often promised Andrew that it never was and never will be like that, and if Neil said so, then Andrew decides he can believe him. 

Nevertheless, the show boy always gets overly excited each time he’s able to see his friend again. Both live in different cities and work night shifts, making it hard to meet, but they do skype once a week. 

Renee brings the two different trays to the table with expert hands, getting cheers from their coworkers. It only takes a second for Kevin to down two shots of vodka, claiming he needs it to deal with Jean and Neil together. In response, Neil throws his half empty bottle at his head, earning himself a glare. 

The waitress comes back to the counter, leaving two shots in front of Andrew and Neil with a wink before going to the tables to join the others. The bartender picks one of them and drinks it in one go, appreciating the way it makes his throat burn.

“But they are so cute together!” Nicky says enthusiastically, always happy to see a softer side of Neil when he can.

“We aren’t,” Neil reproaches, rolling his eyes, annoyed to have the attention on him. Andrew still can’t understand how a popular performer like Neil, who wears extravagant clothes and has a hard time keeping his mouth shut, doesn’t also like attention outside of it. 

Aaron grimaces, clearly already done with this conversation. “They seriously aren’t, it’s mostly disgusting.” He’s in even more of a bad mood because Katelyn couldn’t be here. 

Just to piss them off even more, Allison and Dan start recalling all the “cute” moments they have witnessed in the past two years, earning cheers from Laila and her girlfriend. Andrew mutes them, not really interested in the conversation anymore, remembering these moments quite well himself. At some point, Neil gets up to defend his honor, but comes back a few minutes later to Andrew with what’s almost a pout on his lips. 

Andrew doesn’t get butterflies at that.

“Want anything to drink?” he asks, instead of adding more to the matter. He downed the second shot somewhere in the past minutes. 

Neil’s mouth automatically seems to say no, but he stops himself. “I feel like drinking tonight, is that fine?” It became a habit for his boyfriend to ask him before drinking, mostly because Neil is a lightweight and it means Andrew will have to bring him back home drunk later on. Neil wouldn’t put this on him without his permission. 

He easily nods, like each time Neil asks, and gets up to prepare a Gombo for him. It’s aggravating how Neil doesn’t drink anything else than fruit cocktails, but Andrew doesn’t have it in him to refuse whatever the other wants. 

Finally Wymack and Abby come out of the kitchen with the last of the food, setting it in the middle of the drinks. There are nachos, chicken wings, fries, pumpkin pies, a pan of creamy pasta, a chicken casserole and cupcakes. Neil joins the others to fill up two plates, leaving one on the table in front of an empty chair and bringing the other one to Andrew with all of his favorite stuff. 

The ginger head knows better than to ask Andrew to join them, so he squeezes his hand once before going back to sit with the others, bringing back food to the bartender in exchange for a new drink as the night goes on.

Neil is at his fourth drink and Andrew has made him sit on a stool to help him out of his stilettos when there is a knock at the front door. Quickly, Dan is up on her feet to welcome the other manager and Jean inside. 

Andrew has exactly two seconds to move from the way as Neil gets up on his feet and embarrassingly yells, “Jean!” 

Jean seems startled and raises his eyes suspiciously toward his best friend, finally raising an eyebrow, the only sign of amusement on his features. Jeremy smiles beside him and pats his boyfriend on the back before joining the others. Nicky is quick to ask him how he stays so young and beautiful, as always. 

The French man walks to the bar, quickly ending up wrapped in a hug from Neil. “How much did he have to drink?” He’s looking down at his much smaller friend, but the question is obviously directed at Andrew. 

Andrew gets up, throwing the stilettos away, and shrugs. “Enough to be wasted when you’re him.” 

Neil throws an unfocused glare at his boyfriend, obviously disapproving even with the facts. “Mon coeur, it has been so long,” he whines right after, and it finally gets an amused smile out of Jean. 

He gives a knowing look at Andrew and finally says, “I think I’m too sober for this.” 

As if on cue, Andrew gets behind his bar and starts preparing a Winter Chill for Jean and a Stinger for Jeremy, adding some shots of whiskey and Sour Puss on the side. He hands him the tray as he says, “We all are.”

Neil grabs Jean and brings him to the table, only turning around to Andrew to say, “I think it was supposed to be an insult, so fuck you.” 

In response, Andrew gives him a small salute with two fingers at his temple and settles back behind the bar.

Jean isn’t much of a light weight, but the bartender supplies him with enough booze for him to reach drunkenness in about an hour and a half. At some point, Neil ends up sitting on Jean to play cards with the others, and Jeremy joins Andrew at the bar, sitting on one of the stools at the front. They watch their boyfriends act as lovers from their own place, and both don’t react to it. 

Neil even turns toward the bar and pulls Jean’s head against his chest. “Andrew,” he says. “Andrew,” he says again, frowning as if he doesn’t already have his boyfriend’s attention already.

“Yes, Neil?”

Neil almost beams at this simple answer. “Jean, he’s so great, like, he’s amazing. Do you know that Jean is amazing?” 

Aaron makes a gagging sound, and Nicky coos at them. The others are busy laughing, which seems to confuse Neil to no end, so Jean brings back his friend's attention to the game.

Jeremy shakes his head, picking up his own drink. “They are ridiculous, it’s adorable.”

Most of them, except for Matt, because he’s always too honest, are cheating at the game in not so subtle ways, cards falling on the ground around them. Their screams conceal the sound of them hitting the hard surface, but most of their attempts are still pathetic, in Andrew’s opinion. 

“Is there a bet going on?” Jeremy finally asks, when the game switches pace into a truth or dare each time someone loses. He has a bright smile on his lips, eyes soft as he watches his boyfriend team up with Andrew’s own. 

Andrew doesn’t even have to ask what the manager is talking about. “Yep,” he answers, taking another shot of whiskey and enjoying the slight buzz it gives him. Always light enough to keep control and perfect presence of mind. He glances at his watch; it is just past 2 a.m. “They have about 45 minutes left, so go talk to Renee if you want to participate.” His friend has stopped playing in favor of picking up the cards on the ground after each turn and shuffling them again. 

Jeremy gives him a thumbs up and goes to talk to Renee. 

After 30 more minutes and more booze, Jean and Neil finally lose for the first time—they are truly the best cheaters among them—and Allison silences everyone to be the first to ask them a truth or a dare. As expected, they both choose dare, hating the truth part of the game.

“Okayyyy,” singsongs Allison, clearly too happy with this. “Kiss each other now, and it needs to last more than 10 seconds.” 

“But they have boyfriends!” Matt answers, scandalized by it and plastering his hands on the table. Wymack and Abby, sitting further away, decide it’s a good moment to pick up some of the leftovers and get them back to the kitchen, ignoring their embarrassing employees. 

As if they have only one mind, Jean and Neil turn to their boyfriends at the same time, with questioning unfocused eyes. Jeremy laughs and nods, while Andrew only shrugs and takes his phone out subtly. 

It seems enough of an answer for them, because Jean grabs Neil’s face and they start kissing as if it is a natural thing between them. Andrew raises his phone to film the scene; Nicky screams in delight; Aaron gets up and leaves; Matt seems traumatised and Dan, defeated. Allison high fives Renee, who is standing behind her. 

Jeremy glances in his direction and laughs again. “Are you truly filming them?” Andrew nods in answer, hands steady. “Send it to me after, good blackmail material for him to cook for a week,” Jeremy whispers behind his hand, and Andrew can only agree; Neil will finally do his own laundry.

The best friends finally stop kissing and they both laugh, too drunk to care. 

“It’s unfair, I didn’t think Andrew would agree,” Matt complains, handing money to Renee. Dan and Nicky do the same, the latter not looking disappointed at losing for the show he got. 

“They trust each other,” is Renee's sweet answer as she splits the money. She gives one stack of money to Allison, and she gets to the bar to give one to Andrew and Jeremy each. She gives them an amused smile, especially with the cries of indignation behind her.

“Wait, you bet on this?” Jean says in accusation to Jeremy, who is all smiles. 

Jeremy winks and joins his boyfriend when Neil finally leaves Jean’s laps to get to his real boyfriend. “And you didn’t disappoint me, baby.” Drunk Jean seems to blush easily, because the tip of his ears becomes red in a fraction of a second.

Neil leans against Andrew when he reaches him, arms around his neck, and slurs, “Can I have nuggets tomorrow with that?” He glances at the money, and Andrew leaves it on the counter to grab Neil’s waist. 

“If you aren’t too hungover, maybe,” Andrew answers. Neil usually doesn’t fight well being hungover, but he’ll make sure he drinks enough water and to get him Gatorade at the 24/7 convenience store on their street on the way back. 

“You’re the best,” Neil almost moans as he leans forward to kiss Andrew, and presses himself against him fully, in a way they learned to be okay with more than a year ago. It’s way more public display of affection than Andrew likes, but he decides to indulge Neil a bit.

“Fucking disgusting,” Aaron mutters not too far from them, so Andrew reaches for a pen on the counter and throws it at his head, ignoring the glare he receives in favor of kissing his boyfriend.

It’s probably time to head home now.

**Author's Note:**

> So the prompt was: "Jean and Neil kissing because they are drunk, but without it being a thing." and I gave it more flesh.
> 
> I really hope you liked it because these is a second part (a bit longer) that will come up as soon as my beta is done with it. Do not forget that a Kudos or a comment can mean the world!
> 
> Tumblr: [Lav-ende](https://lav-ende.tumblr.com/)  
> Twitter: [Lav_ende](https://twitter.com/lav_ende)
> 
> See ya!


End file.
